The Little Lady of the Big House

st, who must feel and grope and listen to, and contact with, the world about them, he knew himself on the moment of awakening, instantly ident

ad fallen asleep hours before after drowsily putting a match between

o--King Polo, his champion Short Horn bull, thrice Grand Champion also of all bulls at Sacramento at the California State Fairs. The smile was slow in easing from Dick Forrest's face, for he dwelt a moment on the new triumphs he had destin

e three rows of such buttons. The concealed lighting that spilled from the huge bowl under the ceiling revealed a sleeping-porch, three s

eter, and centigrade and Fahrenheit thermometers. Almost in a sweep of glance he read the messages of the dials: time 4:30; air pressure, 29:80, which was no

t shining into his eyes. The first button turned off the concealed lighting overhead. He reached a mass

lso manifest. The bed was of gray enameled iron to tone with the concrete wall. Across the foot of the bed, an extra coverlet, hung a gray

honograph, for purposes of dictation, stood on a hinged and swinging bracket. On the wall, under the barometer and thermometers, from a round wooden frame laug

hed out his right hand and pressed a button in the second row. Five minutes later a soft-slippered Chinese emerged on the sleeping-porch. In his hands

est's greeting, and his eyes smiled

ed himself with making room on the reading stand f

hile he made a correction on the proof with the other, Oh My picked up a rosy, filmy, lacy boudoir cap from

eeding of Frogs," and prepared to eat. The breakfast was simple yet fairly substantial--more coffee, a half grape-fruit, two soft-boiled eggs ma

ed the hunting of the meat-eating yellow-jackets. Sturdy, more frost-resistant than bees, they were already on the wing and preying on the benumbed flies. Despite the rowdy noise of their flight, these yellow hunters of the air, wit

to desist. He looked at the clock. It marked seven. He set aside the proofs and began a seri

ut find out.... That's right, and show him how to work the hot water. Maybe he doesn't know... Yes, that's right. Plan for one m

that the gravel-haul will cost anywhere between six and ten cents a yard more than the crushed rock. That last pitch of hill is what eats up the gravel-teams. Work out the figures. ... No, we won't be able to start

s thir

wore the tractors would be delivered two days ago.... Call up the station agent. ... By the way, you catch Hanley for me. I forgot to tell him to start the 'r

through the French windows to the bath, already drawn by Oh My. A dozen minutes afterward, shaved as w

t ankle, from instep to heel, were scattered half a dozen scars the size of half-dollars. When Oh My prodded and pulled the left knee a shade too severely, Forrest was guilty of a wince. The right shin was colored wit

ng partly on his side, stared out in the direction of the nicker. Down the road, through the swaying purple of the early lilacs, ridden by a picturesque cowboy, paced a great horse, glinting rud

from the round wooden frame on his wall. He glanced quickly across the two-hundred-foot court to the long, shadowy jut of her wing of the house. The shades of her sleeping-porch were down. They did not

fair Shire colts mighty of bone and frame and free from blemish, then turne

ast boy, Oh M

er. "Him young boy. Everything new. Pretty s

makes you

Him sleep like baby. Him wake up sm

smiling?" Fo

ed his hea

all over, just like that, right away quick. That very good. A man wake up that way got plenty good sense. I know. This n

rrest m

ave we alread

am Oh My," the Chinese rattled of

is master with a challenging

ay call new b

is a josher. A good name, but it won't do. There

hat very

in his consciousness so that he recogn

The boy's na

ershirt and shirt, tossing a tie around his neck for him to knot, and, kneeling, putting on his leggings and spurs. A Baden Powell hat and a quirt comp

to bed. He tore the right-hand ends across and glanced at the contents of all but one with speed. The latter he dwelt upon for a moment, with an irritated indrawing

with hog cholera. I am equally sorry that you have seen fit to charge me with the

t years, with the exception of two Eastern importations, the last two years ago, both of which, according to ou

diseased stock. On the contrary, as you should know, the incubation of hog cholera being nine day

carried cholera? Consult the dates: First, of shipment by me; second, of receipt of the boar by you; and, third, of appearance of symptoms in the boar. As you say, because of w

that overtook your herd. Furthermore, doubly to assure you, write to

ruly yo